Chapter I. Mrs. Redwing's Speckled Egg

Old Mother West Wind came down from the Purple Hills in the
golden light of the early morning. Over her shoulders was slung a
bag--a great big bag--and in the bag were all of Old Mother West
Wind's children, the Merry Little Breezes.

Old Mother West Wind came down from the Purple Hills to the Green
Meadows and as she walked she crooned a song:

"Ships upon the ocean wait;
I must hurry, hurry on!
Mills are idle if I'm late;
I must hurry, hurry on."

When she reached the Green Meadows Old Mother West Wind opened
her bag, turned it upside down and shook it. Out tumbled all the
Merry Little Breezes and began to spin round and round for very
joy, for you see they were to lay in the Green Meadows all day
long until Old Mother West Wind should come back at night and
take them all to their home behind the Purple Hills.

First they raced over to see Johnny Chuck. They found Johnny
Chuck sitting just outside his door eating his breakfast. One,
for very mischief, snatched right out of Johnny Chuck's mouth the
green leaf of corn he was eating, and ran away with it. Another
playfully pulled his whiskers, while a third rumpled up his hair.

Johnny Chuck pretended to be very cross indeed, but really he
didn't mind a bit, for Johnny Chuck loved the Merry Little
Breezes and played with them everyday.

And if they teased Johnny Chuck they were good to him, too. When
they saw Farmer Brown coming across the Green Meadows with a gun
one of them would dance over to Johnny Chuck and whisper to him
that Farmer Brown was coming, and then Johnny Chuck would hide
away, deep down in his snug little house under ground, and Farmer
Brown would wonder and wonder why it was that he never, never
could get near enough to shoot Johnny Chuck. But he never, never
could.

When the Merry Little Breezes left Johnny Chuck they raced across
the Green Meadows to the Smiling Pool to say good morning to
Grandfather Frog who sat on a big lily pad watching for green
flies for breakfast.

"Chug-arum," said Grandfather Frog, which was his way of saying
good morning.

Just then along came a fat green fly and up jumped Grandfather
Frog. When he sat down again on the lily pad the fat green fly
was nowhere to be seen, but Grandfather Frog looked very well
satisfied indeed as he contentedly rubbed his white waistcoat
with one hand.

"What is the news, Grandfather Frog?" cried the Merry Little
Breezes.

"Mrs. Redwing has a new speckled egg in her nest in the
bulrushes," said Grandfather Frog.

"We must see it," cried the Merry Little Breezes, and away they
all ran to the swamp where the bulrushes grow.

Now someone else had heard of Mrs. Redwing's dear little nest in
the bulrushes, and he had started out bright and early that
morning to try and find it, for he wanted to steal the little
speckled eggs just because they were pretty. It was Tommy Brown,
the farmer's boy.

When the Merry Little Breezes reached the swamp where the
bulrushes grow they found poor Mrs. Redwing in great distress.
She was afraid that Tommy Brown would find her dear little nest,
for he was very, very near it, and his eyes were very, very
sharp.

So one of the Merry Little Breezes whisked Tommy Brown's old
straw hat off his head over into the Green Meadows. Of course
Tommy ran after it. Just as he stooped to pick it up another
little Breeze ran away with it. Then they took turns, first one
little Breeze, then another little Breeze running away with the
old straw hat just as Tommy Brown would almost get his hands on
it. Down past the Smiling Pool and across the Laughing Brook they
raced and chased the old straw hat, Tommy Brown running after it,
very cross, very red in the face, and breathing very hard. Way
across the Green Meadows they ran to the edge of the wood, where
they hung the old straw hat in the middle of a thorn tree. By
the time Tommy Brown had it once more on his head he had
forgotten all about Mrs. Redwing and her dear little nest.
Besides, he heard the breakfast horn blowing just then, so off he
started for home up the Lone Little Path through the wood.

And all the Merry Little Breezes danced away across the Green
Meadows to the swamp where the bulrushes grow to see the new
speckled egg in the dear little nest where Mrs. Redwing was
singing for joy. And while she sang the Merry Little Breezes
danced among the bulrushes, for they knew, and Mrs. Redwing knew,
that some day out of that pretty new speckled egg would come a
wee baby Redwing.